Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, 1757-1834, Marquis de Lafayette, General and Statesman
Medium
bronze
Dimensions
overall (diameter): 12.08 cm (4 3/4 in.) gross weight: 187.5 gr (0.413 lb.)
Classification
Sculpture
Department
CSD
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Lisa and Leonard Baskin
Accession Number
2000.158.2
Art Historical Context
This exquisite bronze medallion, measuring just 4¾ inches in diameter, captures the noble visage of Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, the de Lafayette (17571834), a pivotal in both the American and French Revolutions. Crafted in 1830 by renowned French sculptor Pierre-Jean David'Angers, it Lafayette as a general and statesman whose idealism bridged transatlantic struggles for liberty. The intimate scale and 187.5-gram weight make it a portable token of admiration, ideal for collectors or revolutionaries alike. David d'Angers, a master of Romantic sculpture, excelled in portrait m...
About the Artist
Pierre-Jean David d'Angers (French) · 1788 –1856
French, Angers 1788–1856 Paris